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Designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser, the Buffalo Nickel (also called the Indian Head Nickel) paired a composite Native American portrait — Fraser said he combined features from several individual sitters rather than depicting one specific person — with an American bison on the reverse, modeled on a real animal named Black Diamond at the New York Zoological Park. The original 1913 design showed the bison standing on a raised mound, which wore down quickly in circulation and was flattened later that same year — creating two distinct 1913 varieties before the design settled for the rest of the series.
Every date below is a recognised key date or variety. Common dates from the same series are worth far less and are usually valued closer to their metal content.
How many of each were struck — the shortest bar is the scarcest date in the series.
Bars are scaled to keep the smallest mintages visible; the exact figure is printed on every row. Mintage is coins struck, not coins surviving — melting and circulation wear thin those numbers further.
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About Buffalo Nickel values
The 1916 tops this series: a top-grade example is estimated around $154,837. Condition drives that figure — the same date in worn condition is worth a fraction of it, which is why each guide shows a range rather than a single number.
By mintage, the 1926-S is the scarcest key date tracked here, with 970,000 struck. Mintage is coins struck rather than coins surviving, though — melting and circulation wear thin those numbers further, so survival estimates run lower still.
This guide covers 7 key dates and varieties from the Buffalo Nickel series (1913–1938). Common dates from the same series are worth far less and are usually valued closer to their metal content.
Grading takes practice, and the gap between adjacent grades is real money on a key date. Compare your coin against the photographs on each date's page, and for anything potentially valuable consider having it certified by PCGS or NGC — a graded coin settles both authenticity and condition in one step.
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Every US series with key dates priced here.
